AUTHOR’S NOTE: In recent years I have moved away from the “Past/Present/Future” format in three-card tarot readings because there is little point in dwelling on “what has been” in such a brief snapshot. Instead I cut to the chase by focusing on “Present/Near Future/Longer-Range Outcome.” However, in larger spreads like the ten-card Celtic Cross, there can be tremendous value in exploring potentially unresolved past issues that intrude upon and may still be shaping the client’s handling of the current situation, particularly if they could also spill over into future conditions.

The demonstrated accuracy of this analysis, which can be immediately confirmed by the sitter, offers a compelling validation for the likely precision of the rest of the reading. I’ve had seekers complain “I already know that,” which I take to be proof that I’m on the right track. Having a greater number of cards to work with allows for a more expansive view of previous concerns that may still be affecting the querent’s decision-making, now and for the foreseeable future unless they are put to bed. This is the main justification for taking the time necessary to frame the history of the matter to see if it is still dominating the client’s present outlook.

As I begin a comprehensive life-reading that is the usual purview of a large spread, I find it prudent to tell the sitter exactly what I’m up to in examining “old news.” It may seem like a waste of time to an anxious querent who only wants to know what the future holds, but if the forecast can be skewed by something from the past that still has its claws in the person’s psyche, I would be remiss if I didn’t point that out. Although poet Alexander Pope proposed that “hope springs eternal in the human breast,” the cynical retort “Keep telling yourself that” comes to mind although I would never say it in so many words. Once latent risks have been identified, a strategy can be formulated to neutralize them.

One of the best examples of this “hijacking” lies in evidence that the ashes of a long-dead relationship (romantic or otherwise) are still smoldering in the client’s subconscious despite vehement claims that nothing could be farther from the truth. This can be a touchy subject to approach because it contravenes the empowering motives of self-determination and the goal of moving on from trauma. It suggests continuing to poke at the half-healed scabs of previous wounds, but I believe the diagnosis must be done to complete the languishing recovery process. If the vulnerability is allowed to go unaddressed when it clearly shows up in the cards, the querent’s prospects for starting a new chapter can be forever tainted by the memory. This is no way to run a life!